Automatic leveler for brick-setting cranes and the like



G. E. LUCE AUTOMATIC LEVELER FOR BRICK SETTING CRANES Mil) THE LIKEFiled Dec. 11, 1920 2 nww-sneez'l I G. E. LUCE AUTOMATIC LEVELER FORBRICK SETTING CRANES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Shea}. 2

Filed Dec. 11

. WZd- Patented Um 5:;

GRAFTON E LUGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC LEVELER FOR BRICK-SETTING- CRANEB AND THE L.

application filed December 11, 1920. Serial No. 430,033.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, GRAFTON E. Loon, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented an Improvement in Automatic Levelers for Brick-Setting Cranesand the like, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing like parts.

My present invention is an improved crane or hoisting mechanism and isparticularly directed to improve and perfect a hoisting crane for use inhandling brick setters or the like wherein it is important and desirableto maintain the article, machine, apparatus or load being hoisted in apredetermined position, preferably horizon} tal.

My invention is particularly directed to a crane or hoisting apparatuswherein it is important to maintain the load horizontal and level, suchfor example-as in handling brick in stacked units, or other articles,which must be maintained level during the hoisting, lowering andhandling. In carr ing out my inventionI preferably provi e a portableand rotatable crane or hoisting apparatus, whereinthei hoisting boom isprovided with automatic levelling instrumentalities, whereby theflexible hoisting ropes carrying the article, load, setter or the likeare maintained at all times in predetermined and preferably horizontalposition,

irrespective of the raising, lowering or swinging of the boom. 1 alsoprovide means to maintain this predetermined level which will actautomatically throughout the entire range of the raising and lowering ofthe boom as well as during the rotation of other tilt handling of thesame. In the referred embodiment of the invention, as erein shown, Iapply adjacent the end; of the hoisting boom, a yoke, pivotallysupported, and connected with a rod or member which will act upon theyoke automatically, and in a manner to withstand both pulling andcompressive strains equally, tohold the yoke in.

its predetermined level position throughout the entire range ofmovements of the boom. I accomplish this result in anefficient mannerand by a pivotal connection with the yoke and with the rotatable part ofthe crane, these pivotal points being in predetermined and spacedrelation with the pivot of the boom and the pivotal support of the yoke,as will be more fully explained.

In my present invention I find it feasible to provide a four pointsuspension for the article, apparatus, bricksetter or the like to behandled, the flexible cables constituting the suspending devices beingled over a plurality of pulleys suitably spaced and positioned on theyoke and thus affording a constantly maintained level support throughwhich the hoisting ropes are ed and from which the article being handledis sustained in its level position, throu bout the entire ran e ofmovements of the com, both vertica ly and rotatably. This constructionenables a rotatable swinging boom to carry a four-point support, and todo the same work heretofore done only with an ex-' pensive permanentcrane with a travelling carriage. The rotatable capacity of the en tirecrane, as well as its capability of handling a bricksettcr or the likewhile supported in a'level condition, enables the present automaticlevelling crane to be employed for work similar to that shown in therevolving crane of my prior and copendingapplication, Ser. No. 262,947,filed November 18, 1918.

Further features, novel combinations of parts and important advantageswill be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

portability and Referring to the drawings, illustrating a Fig. 2 is apartial plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the outer end of the boomand levelling yoke;

Fig. 3 is a side view of that part shown in plan in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

It will be understood that the automatic levelling features of thepresent invention may be applied to different types of cranes andhoisting members or apparatus, but is here shown as applied to arotatable, portable hoisting crane, and preferably also in the handlingof a brick setter, wherein a maintained horizontal plan is desirable andnecessary. Different sizes and types of cranes may therefore beemployed, the present bricksetting crane being shown for illustrativepurposes, and because the present invention is particularly useful forthis v of the crane.

work. As my levelling attachment is broadly new, I believe that it isapplicable to a self-moving levelling crane of the type shown in my saidprior application, and therefore I intend to claim this feature hereinbroadly as applied to any crane or hoisting device.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a crane having a base 2mounted upon a portable support or platform 1, said base 2 affording apivot for the rotatable base 3 This base 3 carries a vertical mast 4extending upwardly and being pivotally secured at its topmost point by aplate 5 and pin 6, said plate having one or more rigid legs or backbraces 7, extending downwardly to the platform 1. Preferably theseback-braces are sufliciently spaced to afford the desired rigidity-tothe top of the mast 4 and permit its rotation within a limit of threehundred or more degrees. At the top .of the mast'4 is a cap 10 carryingpulleys 11and 12 pivoted at diametrically opposite points thereon, saidcap and pulleys being adapted to turn with the mast. Supportedon therotatable base 3 is a casting 15 to af ford a brace for the mast 4 and apivotal support for the hoisting boom 20. This boom is pivoted to thecasting 15 at 16, and is of suitable length for the work desired. At theouter end of the boom 20 is a collar 21 and cap 22, the latterhaving apair of rods 23 pinned to a pair of flanges 24 on said cap as indicatedat 25, and carrying pulleys 26 at their upper ends through which thehoisting ropes or cables 30 are led to the pulleys 11 in the plate 10,the fixed end of the hoisting rope 30 being secured to said collar 21-and the hoisting end of said rope 30 being led downwardly over thepulley 12 and to the drum 31. This is a usual construction andarrangement for raising and lowering the hoisting boom.

Applied to the boom 20 is my automatic levelling device. I form the cap22 onthe outer end of the boom, as shown at 33, with a pair of forkedarms extending beyond the end of the boom, which arms carry a shaft 34,on which a yoke '35 is pivotally supported. This yoke comprises aframework consisting in a duplicate pair of plates, preferj ably formedopen to save weight and with reinforcing ribs therein. This yoke carriesa plurality, preferably a pair, of bearings 36, 36, and 37, 37 toreceive shafts 38 and 40, carrying on the outer ends pulleys 41,

41 and 42, 42, respectively. These pulleys are preferably flanged toreceive the hoisting cables, fou-r inv number, to afford a fourpointsuspension to the load, said cables being partially indicated at 44, 44,44, 44, and

I being led downwardly along the boom 20,

through suitable guide pulleys to a drum on the base 3.

It will be understood that the yoke or frame 35 is of suitable size tospace the sets of pulleys 41 and 42 thereon so as to afford amplespacing to maintain the load, device, apparatus, bricksetter or the likeintended to be handled by the hoisting crane, in a level condition, andtherefore with the center of gravity of the setter, whether loaded orunloaded, sufliciently within the four points of suspension, to insurestability.

I maintain the yoke 35 with the pulleys and shafts thereon inpredetermined and horizontal position by attaching to the yoke one ormore stabilizing rods or members. As herein shown, I provide a singlerod 50, preferably making the same in the form of a trussed rod, with aplurality of struts 51,

51 and truss members 52. This provides ample strength for the rod 50,throughout its entire length, eliminating other bearing and insuring thefree functioning of the rod in the operation of the crane, and duringboth pulling and compressive strains.

The truss rod is pivoted at 55 to the casting 15 on the base 3, and atits outer end is pivoted at 56 to a pin 57 on the yoke I find that it isimportant to position these pivot points 55 and 56 at substantially thepredetermined positions illustrated in the drawings and with thedistance between the inner pivot 55 on the rod and 16 on the boom, equalto the distance between the outer pivot 34 of the yoke and. the rodconnection at 56. The distance between the pivotal points 55, 16 and 56,34 should not only be equal but the lines joining them should beparaljoining the points 55, 56, and 16, 34 to insure the maintenance ofthe yoke 35 level during the raising and lowering of the boom. In Fig. lI have illustrated the boom-in raised position, being shown in dottedlines with the yoke 35 shown relatively inclined to the boom 20 whennear the uppermost position of hoisting of the boom and the innermostswinging of the load or brick setting apparatus 60, illustratinggraphically the action of the rod 50. Throughout the entire range of thehoisting action on the boom 20, the yoke 35 is thus maintained inpredetermined position and with the pulleys 41 and 42 in the samerelative relation to the load 60 at all times. I prefer to have thesepulleys 41 and 42 pivoted in substantially the same horizontal plane,but this is not essential. The four ropes 44 are operated simultaneouslyby the drum 45 and as they are led over the pulleys on the yoke 35 andthe latter is maintained rara'rea or the like. The boom and crane canalso be rotated by an auxiliary motor 66 or. the like in any usual-andwell known manner,

swinging the mast 4 and boom 20 with the,

latter in any position to which it may be hoisted throughout the rangepermitted by the back braces 7.

It will be appreciated thatmy invention enables a hoistin boom, arm, orsimilar device to be utilized to handle articles, apparatus or loadswhich must be maintained in horizontal position during their handling bythe crane. The action of the rod on the yoke 35 is entirely automatic,is entirely out of the way of the hoisting mechanism and of the work,and permits as full, free and large a range of movement, vertical,rotatable and otherwise, of the boom, for which movements the crane maybe constructed. F urthermore, I prefer to have the pulleys 41 and 42spaced substantially equally about the pivot 34 and the yoke 35, thusdistributing the load, weight and strain of the article or apparatusbeing hoisted in a balanced relation. This means constitutes practicallya four point suspension. If desired a rotatable turntable between thehoisting cables 44 and the setter may be employed, as indicated at 7 0and 71, such a construction being similar to and shown in the R. C.Penfield Patent No. 1,205,562, issued November 21, 1916. When employedin brick handling, such for example, as in building a kiln, the entire aparatus can be readily moved at the desired point or position forsetting brick in a 'kiln, unloading-therefrom, or transporting brickfrom one position to another, as will be readily art.

My invention is further described and defined in the form of claims asfollows:

1. A portable rotatable hoistin apparatus of the kind described, apivote boom carried thereby, a support carried by said boom, a pluralityof pulleys mounted on said support to provide a four-point suspensionfor the work and means acting automaticallyto maintain said supportingpulleys in predetermined relationship during the raising and lowering ofthe boom, whereby the work supported therefrom will ,be maintainedlevel. i r h 2. A portable rotatable hoistin apparatus of the kinddescribed, a pivote boom carried thereby, a support'carriedby said boom,a plurality of pulleys mounted on said sup-- port to provide afour-point suspension for, the work and a member connecting said supportwith the fixed part of the crane movable with the bopm and actingautomatically, during said movement, to maintain said-support level. I

3. Automatic levelling apparatus of the. kind described, comprising abase, a boom pivotally'conne'cted at one end thereto, means appreciatedby those skilled in the to raise and lower the boom, a supportpivlowering boom, a yoke pivoted thereto, a

plurality of pulleys on said yoke, spaced in balanced position aboutsaidpivot, hoisting ropes'led over saidpulleys and providing a four pointsuspension for the load, means to wind and unwind said hoisting ropessimultaneously, and means to maintain the pulleys on said yoke in-thesame plane during the raising and lowering of the boom.

5. Automatic levelling apparatus of the kind described, comprising araising and lowering boom,'a yoke pivoted thereto, a plurality ofpulleys on said yoke, spaced in balanced position about said pivot,hoisting ropes led over said pulleys and providing a four pointsuspension for the load, a compression andtension member pivoted at oneend to said'yoke and at its other end to a fixed su port, and acting tomaintain the yoke and pulleys thereon, horizontal during the raising andlowering of the boom.

6. Automatic levelling apparatus for hoistin cranes, comprising amovable boom, a yo e pivotally mounted about a fixed point to said boom,means toraise and lower the load from said yoke, and stabilizing meansforsaid yoke and independent of the boomto maintain the yoke inhorizontal position durin the movement of the boom.

. 7 utomatic levelling apparatus forhoisting cranes, comprising amovable boom, a yoke pivotally mounted about a fixed point to said boom,means to raise and lower the load from said yoke, constructed andpositioned to support the load in balanced relation to said yoke, andautomatic means independent of the boom to maintain movement of theboom.

8. Automatic levelling apparatus for hoist- GRAFTON n. LUCEL' said'yokeand load in balanced relation during the

